From bf82b01af77c539d073c5a456e62f4d10ea6bccf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: =?UTF-8?q?=E3=83=AA=E3=82=AD=E8=90=8C?= Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2025 00:41:54 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] story: trickle --- content/trickle.dj | 246 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 246 insertions(+) create mode 100644 content/trickle.dj diff --git a/content/trickle.dj b/content/trickle.dj new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fd1965a --- /dev/null +++ b/content/trickle.dj @@ -0,0 +1,246 @@ +title = "Trickle" + ++++ + +It was a Saturday morning. +I was still in my bed, half-asleep, dreaming. +Floating, suspended in distant galaxies... + +_\*ring, ring\*_ + +I yawned. +"Ugh, who's calling me this early in the morning...?" + +`Incoming call: Trickle` + +"Give me a break. It's a Saturday morning, Tricks..." + +--- Vector? +This is Trickle. --- I heard through the earpiece.\ +--- Yeeeah? --- I yawned. --- Yeah, this is Vector.\ +--- Listen carefully. +We need to meet up immediately.\ +--- Uhh, sure, what hour?\ +--- How soon is possible? +This is kind of urgent.\ +--- I dunno Tricks, you literally just woke me up...\ +--- Vector, it's 10 o'clock. +Why are you still asleep.\ +--- It's a Saturday, cut me some slack...\ +--- You're about the only person I know who has a sleep schedule this rusty.\ +--- I know, I know... it's not my fault my parents didn't calibrate my crystal.\ +--- I'm pretty sure your inconsistent sleep is not your parents' fault, neither is your internal clock miscalibrated. +If you went to sleep at the same hour every day, you wouldn't have this problem.\ +--- I've no idea how other people do it. +I just can't...\ +--- Yadda, yadda. +Come to my house when you're ready.\ +--- Should I bring Amber?\ +--- No need. +I need you, and you only.\ +--- Alright. + +_\*beep\*_ + +Time to get to work. + +Or uh, _not_ work, because it's a Saturday. +Yeah.\ +Time to get to _not_ work. + +I walked downstairs on the creaky wooden staircase. +Amber was already eating her breakfast, still in her night robes. + +--- Morning, Amber.\ +--- Oooi, Vec. Get a good night's sleep? --- she asked, still sounding a bit sleepy.\ +--- You know the drill.\ +--- As if. + +--- It'd be nice if I slept well for once. --- I replied.\ +--- You sure this ain't something that needs a doctor?\ +--- Yeah, no. I can manage.\ + +--- Tricksy again? --- she asked while chewing on her corn flakes.\ +--- Stop calling them that.\ +--- C'mon, let a girl poke some fun at a friend once in a while...\ +--- You know they don't like it.\ +--- Makes it even more funny.\ +--- Ugh. + +I entered the bathroom to take a shower.\ +On today's menu: lukewarm water, floral-scented shower gel, moisturising shampoo. + +10 minutes later, time to clean the rest of the heckin' Vector.\ +Fur dried, teeth brushed, hair combed, clothes put on. + +I looked in the mirror at my reflection.\ +Hair not too shabby.\ +Fluff white as day.\ +Eyes odd as the number 1. + +Lookin' good as ever. + +I walked out of the bathroom toward the front door. +It was time to leave. + +--- I'm leaving! --- I told Amber.\ +--- Tell Trickle I said hi! + +Trickle's house was right next door. +Or rather, right next two doors, because there's one neighbour separating us from each other. +_And that was the tale of the Vector and the Trickle, forever split apart by---_ + +_\*knock, knock\*_ + +--- It's me, Vector!\ +--- Come in! --- I heard from behind the door. + +I took off my shoes, and entered Trickle's cave. +Because it could hardly be called a house. + +A tinkerer at heart, their house was the ultimate laboratory. +Every room laid out with various tools, doodads, side projects, and lots of anime figurines. + +I took a right to Trickle's room. +Or rather, workspace-room-gaming battlestation-thing with a hammock. + +--- Long time no see. --- said Trickle.\ +--- We literally saw each other a couple days ago.\ +--- I know, but I really wanted to say that. + +--- Look what I woke up to today. --- they said, showing me a news page on their computer.\ +--- Oh!! The city finally finished the construction of this new park area?\ +--- Yeah. + +We've been eyeing this park ever since its construction began. +It would be close enough to our houses to walk there by foot, 20 minutes one way. +An easy enough spot to get to and discharge a bit after a day of hard work. + +With that in mind, their wake-up sin was forgiven. + +--- Wanna go? --- I asked.\ +--- I dunno, I was kinda in the middle of---\ +--- Alright listen here, you lil' undefined lop. + +I gave Trickle the most contemptful expression I could make. + +--- You can't just wake me up. +Make me move my ass to your house, on a Saturday morning. +And then tell me you don't wanna go.\ +--- But my ramen--- + +I froze. +Eyebrow raised. + +--- Ramen, you say?\ +--- Yeah. Want one? --- they said, pulling out a second, unopened cup. + +I realised I haven't had breakfast yet. + +--- Hell yeah I do! + +--- + +One cup ramen later. + +--- That was good --- I said --- but you're gonna heckin' die if you keep eating this much of this.\ +--- Life's good with tasty soup you can make in 5 minutes. +Besides, you know I'm not very good at cooking.\ +--- Have you ever tried: following the instructions?\ +--- You know it never comes out right.\ +--- Maybe you need cooking lessons.\ +--- Wanna teach me?\ +--- Sure, that'll be five bucks.\ +--- Heck yeah? I'll take it!\ +--- Per second.\ +--- Listen here you little---\ +--- Anyways, let's go already. + +--- Wanna grab Amber? My house is on the way. --- I said.\ +--- No. It'll be an investigation... just for the two of us. --- they replied, pushing their glasses further onto their nose.\ +--- Shut up and stop making this weird. + +A 20 minute walk later, we were nearing the park. + +--- Alright, moment of truth. +Is it complete... --- I started.\ +--- ...or was the article complete baloney. --- they completed. + +As we made the last turn, a large grassy area emerged, surrounded by trees of various kinds. + +But as we got closer to the centre, we noticed something strange. +A weird... statue... thing? + +--- Hey, Vector.\ +--- Yeah?\ +--- Do you see that thing over there, on the isle in the centre?\ +--- Not quite... what the heck is that? + +We stepped closer to get a good look. + +--- Trickle.\ +--- Yeah?\ +--- That's a heater.\ +--- I know. + +Standing profoundly in the centre of the park. +Surrounded by four benches. + +A regular ass radiator, +as if pulled straight from my room. + +... + +We stood there, looking at it in awe. + +--- What... the heck. --- I said.\ +--- I know, right. + +We sat down on one of the benches, and started contemplating. + +--- So, Trickle. +Tell me. +How do you think this happened?\ +--- Do you know Duchamp's _Fountain_?\ +--- I think you told me about it once. +Was it the urinal-turned-art-piece?\ +--- Yeah. + +--- I think they did a thing. +Like that. --- they continued. +--- Perhaps it was _meant_ to be thought about. +Pretentious. +Is what I'm saying.\ +--- Well, they're doing a bang up job. +I can't stop thinking about it. +Why a radiator.\ +--- A commentary on global warming, maybe?\ +--- I dunno. +Why would you be heating up the outside. +It's so hot after all... + +A few more seconds of thinking later, Trickle came back with a response. + +--- But what if... it wasn't\ +--- ...What do you mean---oh, right. +Winters are a thing.\ +--- Exactly. + +--- I'm thinking about it, and it's literally the opposite of one of those sprinkler things they place outside in the summer. --- they continued.\ +--- You're... kinda right, actually. + +--- Don't you think running a heater in the winter cold would get kind of expensive? --- I asked.\ +--- Probably, yes. +But maybe it didn't matter to the city council. +Maybe they just wanted a cool park.\ +--- Or rather, a _hot_ park?\ +--- ...I actually wonder if that radiator in the centre is all there is to it. +Perhaps there are also ones in the floor? And in the benches? --- Trickle said, blatantly ignoring my pun.\ +--- That would actually be kind of cool.\ +--- Hot, you mean.\ +--- ...Wow, right back at me. + +--- Let's go back home now, shall we? --- said Trickle.\ +--- Yeah, let's. + +And with that said, it was time to walk home.